Gordon McPherson

The Pollination of Zygogynum (Winteraceae) by a Moth, Sabatinca (Micropterigidae): An Ancient Association?

The primitive and vesselless angiosperm Zygogynum (Winteraceae), which is restricted to New Caledonia, is pollinated by a moth, Sabatinca (Micropterigidae). Fossil records of both the moth and the plant families extend to the Early Cretaceous. Adult Sabatinca have grinding mandibles and usually feed on the spores of ferns and on pollen. The insects use the flowers as mating sites and eat the pollen which is immersed in a dense pollenkitt. This mode of pollination in which flowers serve as mating and feeding stations with floral odors acting as cues may have been common in the early evolution of flowering plants.

Transfer of Madagascan Glochidion to Phyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae s.l. or Phyllanthaceae)

Seven endemic Madagascan species previously assigned to the genus Glochidion. J. R. & G. Forster by Leandri are re-examined morphologically and found to belong to Phyllanthus L. (Euphorbiaceae s.l. or Phyllanthaceae). As a consequence, the following five new combinations are made: Ph.yllanthus ankaratrae (Leandri) Petra Hoffmann & McPherson, F! h.umbertii (Leandri) Petra Hoffmann & McPherson, E lichenisilvae (Leandri) Petra Hoffmann & McPherson, P. n7arojejgensis (Leandri) Petra Hoffmann & McPherson, and E perrieri (Leandri) Petra Hoffmann & McPherson.

Flower-Visiting Records of the Native Bees of New Caledonia1

Abstract The flower-visiting records for the 43 species of bees considered to be native to New Caledonia show that females of 21 species visited 116 native species of plants in 69 genera and 41 families, and the bees were documented to carry pollen from 64 species and possibly four more. The plant families with the greatest number of species documented for visits by female bees were, in descending order: Myrtaceae (21), Dilleniaceae (10), Cunoniaceae (nine), Araliaceae (seven), Fabaceae (seven, encompassing the Caesalpinioideae, Mimosoideae, and Papilionoideae), Goodeniaceae (five), Proteaceae (five), Apocynaceae (four), Sapindaceae (four), and remaining families with one to three species. Females of six and possibly one more species carried pollen from each of Dilleniaceae and Myrtaceae, six carried pollen from Araliaceae, five from Goodeniaceae, four and possibly one more from Cunoniaceae, four from each of Fabaceae and Sapindaceae, and none to three from the remaining 34 families observed. For introduced plants, female bees of 12 species visited 54 species in 43 genera among 19 plant families and were documented to carry pollen from 31 and possibly one more species. For introduced plants, families with the highest number of species visited by female bees, in descending order, were: Asteraceae (12); Fabaceae (eight); Verbenaceae (seven); and Euphorbiaceae, Myrtaceae, and Solanaceae each with three. The remaining 13 families had either one or two species visited by bees. Females of seven species of bees carried pollen from Fabaceae, six from Asteraceae, three each from Myrtaceae and Solanaceae, and none to “2 + 1?” (two or possibly three) from remaining families. Only half a dozen species of native bees can be considered to be common, in that they can be expected to be observed reasonably regularly on a range of flowers. The ubiquitous introduced honey bee Apis mellifera L. and its constant foraging for nectar and pollen on a very wide range of flowers may outcompete many species of native bees, potentially reducing their numbers, and consequently obscuring their relationships with the flora.

A New, Restricted Range Species of Annona (Annonaceae) Endemic to the Caribbean Slope of Panama

Abstract.  Annona caesia G. E. Schatz, C. Ramos & O. Ortiz is described from the lowland forests of the Caribbean slope of Panama. The new species differs from other Annona L. (Annonaceae) by the medium to large, broadly ovoid flowers (including three other species in Panama: A. acuminata Saff., A. billbergii R. E. Fr., and A. spraguei Saff.), by the glabrous and bluish glaucous underside of its leaves, and by the presence of small inner petals. The conservation status according to IUCN Red List categories and criteria has been assessed as Vulnerable (VU).

REVISION OF WIELANDIA, INCLUDING BLOTIA AND PETALODISCUS (PHYLLANTHACEAE; EUPHORBIACEAE S.L.)1

Abstract The Western Indian Ocean genus Wielandia Baill. (Phyllanthaceae, Phyllanthoideae, Wielandieae) is revised, recognizing 13 species, including the new species W. unifex Petra Hoffm. & McPherson. As a result of recent molecular phylogenetic work and the discovery of the enigmatic W. unifex, all species of Blotia Leandri and Petalodiscus Baill. are subsumed under Wielandia. The following new combinations result: W. bemarensis (Leandri) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson, W. fadenii (Radcl.-Sm.) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson, W. laureola (Baill.) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson, W. leandriana (Petra Hoffm. & McPherson) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson, W. mimosoides (Baill.) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson, W. oblongifolia (Baill.) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson, W. platyrachis (Baill.) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson, and W. tanalorum (Leandri) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson. In addition, W. bojeriana (Baill.) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson, W. danguyana (Leandri) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson, and W. ranavalonae (Leandri) Petra Hoffm. & McPherson are transferred from Savia Willd., a genus now restricted to the Neotropics. Three species, Petalodiscus pulchellus (Baill.) Pax, Savia andringitrana Leandri, and S. revoluta Scott-Elliot, and four varieties, Blotia oblongifolia (Baill.) Leandri var. louvelii Leandri, Savia andringitrana Leandri var. micrantha Leandri, S. bojeriana Baill. var. perrieri Leandri, and S. platyrachis (Baill.) Baill. var. microphylla Leandri, are subsumed under other species. Characters of flower, fruit and seed, leaf venation and anatomy, as well as pollen morphology are discussed and illustrated. A key to the 13 species of Wielandia is presented. Wielandia fadenii, previously known only from Kenya, is for the first time reported from Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Seeds of W. danguyana, W. fadenii, and W. ranavalonae are described and illustrated for the first time, showing a wide range of embryo morphology. Distribution maps are provided for the species not previously treated as Blotia or Wielandia s. str., and IUCN Red List categories are suggested for all taxa.

A review of Madagascan Uapaca (Euphorbiaceae s.l.)

ABSTRACT Uapaca in Madagascar, formerly considered to comprise 12 species, is here treated as consisting of eight species, all endemic. Staminodes (in the staminate flowers) are reported for the first time in the genus, and a key is proposed, along with descriptions and notes on variation.

Five New Species of Eugenia (Myrtaceae) from Panama

Abstract.  Five previously unrecognized species of Eugenia L. from the Caribbean lowland forest of Panama are named, described, and assigned IUCN conservation status here: E. arrhaphocalyx Barrie, I. Vergara & McPherson (EN), E. brachyblastiflora Barrie, C. Ramos & O. Ortiz (CR), E. donosoensis Barrie, C. Ramos & O. Ortiz (LC), E. roseola Barrie, C. Ramos & O. Ortiz (LC), and E. roseopetala Barrie, I. Vergara & McPherson (EN).

A new species of Pantadenia Gagnep. (Euphorbiaceae) from Madagascar

ABSTRACT A new species of Pantadenia Gagnep. from Madagascar is described; it resembles the other previously known Madagascan species (Pantadenia chauvetiae (Leandri) G.L.Webster) in ovary and fruit morphology, but differs from it in its arborescent habit, narrower and less pubescent leaves, glabrous and minutely bracteate inflorescence, and glabrous and typically 4-merous calyx.

Strychnos puberula (Loganiaceae), a New Species from Panama

Abstract.  Strychnos puberula McPherson (Loganiaceae) is described as a new species from Panama, differing from the otherwise similar S. guianensis (Aubl.) Mart. in its indument of minute hairs, lack of leaf domatia, consistently 4-merous flowers, and short-stipitate, relatively thick-walled fruit.

A new epiphytic species of Notopleura (Rubiaceae) from Chucantí Nature Reserve, eastern Panama

ABSTRACT The new species Notopleura sallydavidsoniae R.Flores & C.M.Taylor is here described and illustrated. It can be recognised by the following combination of characters: epiphytic habit, succulent stems and leaves, stipules sheathing at base and free portion ligulate with c. 8–10 glandular setae or appendages, well-developed bracts, five-merous flowers, rather well-developed calyx and fruits with two pyrenes. Eastern Panama is not well known botanically, but is part of the region that is the centre of species diversity for the epiphytic subgenus of Notopleura as well as for the genus overall.